Province providing $250,000 in grant funding to help seniors live independently

The Saskatchewan government is aiming to help seniors live independently at home and in their home communities.

That’s why it’s offering $250,000 in one-time grant funding for organizations and community groups that support senior living.

The program is encouraging the development and testing of new ways to support seniors’ independence, the government said, with the ultimate goal of using those new approaches more widely across Saskatchewan. The funding will go towards 10 community projects, with each to receive up to $20,000.

“The provincial government is committed to improving the health and well-being of Saskatchewan seniors,” Everett Hindley, Saskatchewan’s seniors minister, said in a statement Tuesday.

According to the government, more than 90 per cent of seniors live independently in their home communities, and would prefer to stay in their homes rather than moving to a different setting such as a group home or a long-term care facility.

Holly Schick, director of the Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism, said independent living costs the taxpayers less money while giving seniors the lifestyle they desire.

“With an ever-increasing number of older adults in our communities, it is crucial that we find ways to provide practical home supports,” Schick said in a statement.

“Supporting people in their own homes costs approximately a third of residential care. It provides real options, lower costs, and better outcomes. We hope this grant program will help us identify creative, workable, affordable solutions.”